


but the devil whispered lies i believed

by hisvioleteyes



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Bonding Over Bad Parents, Gen, Short, gifted child crumbling over pressure etc etc, thelyss bros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:47:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29967300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hisvioleteyes/pseuds/hisvioleteyes
Summary: super short! Essek is sent off to bed without dinner and sneaks off to the library, Verin follows him. Essek is in his late teens while Verin is around 10. Fully speculative on family dynamics, things aren't great but I tried not leaving on a bad note. I just hope we get to meet Verin or hear more about Essek's life and den someday.title is from second child, restless child by the oh hellos
Relationships: Essek Thelyss & Verin Thelyss
Kudos: 12





	but the devil whispered lies i believed

The jeweled silver cuttlery is too heavy and too loud against the glass table. The young elf had been looking down at his food and took too long to realize his parents were talking of him. From the corner of his eyes he sees his siblings calmly eating their food and pretending not to listen. "-For you to sit there looking all miserable." His mother's voice sounded pained as her hand hit the table, rattling the silver. Her chair creeked as she sat back against it with an exhasperated sigh. "Look around you, child... One day you will see how foolish this behavior is. Mark my words, it doesn't get much better than this." 

His father's voice then comes from the opposite side of the table, Essek's eyes still glued to his plate. "You are not like this, this is unecessary. Just do as your mother says, ok?" 

Essek doesn't answer. 

"We have raised a miscreant. Your childish wiles won't bring repute to this Den and they certainly won't keep you from your duties as a Thelyss." 

"She worries, you see. You have much to prove still. We all do." A second passes, and then another weaker hit to the glass, the vibrations reaching Essek's fingers through the silver. 

"I'm sick of this. Leave, now. Luxon as my witness, you had enough time playing with your plate." His mother finishes.

Essek tries to steady his hands as he lightly raises his head for a polite nod. And he's off.

Not to his room, though, but to the library. The mastery of dunamis by their den comes from centuries old research wich accompanies countless, countless books. Essek liked the family library, quiet, smaller and older than their latest facilities and therefore often mostly empty, especially at this time.

"Do you enjoy making her mad?" Mostly. 

"I'd enjoy if you stopped following me, Verin. And I don't need to do anything to make her mad." 

The younger drow's small frame barely peaked from behind a purple wooden shelf as his high pitched voice came out quieter now. "You looked sad." 

Essek sighs. "So?" 

"Mother is only mean sometimes because she believes in us." 

Essek looks up at him. "I... don't know about that." 

Verin's hopeful expression falls a bit. "... Dad didn't seem mad." 

Annoyed, Essek grabbing what he was reading gets up from his corner. "His pity is ill-timed." 

"But-!" Essek cuts him off, walking past his younger brother into the long dark manor halls. 

"Just go to sleep, Verin, please." 

His light steps echo traveling up the high ceilings and at this time the lanterns are off. Everything is cast in shades of grey. 

"...Can you take me to my room?" 

Essek's walk stops for a moment, his head falling with a sigh, then waving his brother over. The even lighter steps approach him fast and Essek motions to him to keep quiet. Together they walk back to the right wing. 

He enjoys the silence, he thinks, but Essek knows how intimidating these halls are by yourself.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
